Introducing
Udaipur
If the colours pink and blue are common to the landscapes of Jaipur and
Jodhpur, Udaipur may very well be regarded as a vision in white for its
shining palaces and buildings in white marble. Udaipur is located in the
southern part of the state of Rajasthan. Mount Abu is to the west of Udaipur
while the town of Chittaurgarh is to its north.
The shining marble palaces, well laid out gardens, beautifully sculpted
temples and clear blue water lakes have earned Udaipur many names. Popularly
known as the lake city of India, many prefer to call Udaipur a romantic city
also. Udaipur is surrounded by the Aravalli mountain ranges on a few sides.
In the midst of an arid desert, Udaipur can also be called a mirage whose
sweltering weather has never been able to daunt the spirits of tourists.
The beautiful city was established by Maharana Udai Singh after an
astrologer advised the warrior to shift his capital to the banks of Lake
Pichola. Udaipur has been named after Udai Singh.
Climate
Udaipur has a typical desert climate. Summers are very hot and the mercury
has even touched 47 degrees in the past. Dust storms may also occur
occasionally. Rainfall in the place is also scarce. During winters, however,
the weather becomes very cool and pleasant.
Best Time to Visit
October-March
How to Reach
Air : Dabok Airport is located on the outskirts of Udaipur
at a distance of 24 kms. There are regular flights from New Delhi, Jaipur,
Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad and Mumbai.
Rail : Udaipur figures prominently in the rail map of
India. There are express train services from many destinations including
Delhi. India's luxury trains-The Palace on Wheels and Royal Orient Express
also cover Udaipur.
Road : There are regular bus services to Udaipur from
various destinations of northern India including Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Delhi,
Jaipur ,Chittaurgarh, Indore and Kota.
Where to Stay
Udaipur has a wide range of accommodation facilities to suit the needs of
all class groups. Best hotels in luxury category include Lake Palace and
Vishnupriya while good hotels in mid range category are Anand Bhawan, Ashish
Palace and Damanis.
Attractions in Udaipur
The
City Palace : The fine combination of marble and granite used in
the construction of City Palace makes it one of the most attractive palaces
of Rajasthan and a jewel in Udaipur's crown. It may also be mentioned that
it is also the largest palace of Rajasthan. The palace overlooking lake
Pichola is well known for exceptional crafting of the interiors. The mammoth
palace complex houses three mahals - Baari, Dilkush and Moti. Apart from the
mahals, there is also a temple dedicated to Dhuni Mata and a museum
displaying the collections of Rana Pratap. The floor mosaics giving shape to
peacock images are most impressive.
The Lake Palace
: From a distance, the view of the Lake Palace is mesmerizing. Built
entirely with marble, the architecture of the palace is such that it gives
the impression of the palace floating on the lake Pichola. Now converted
into a luxury hotel, this magnificent palace can only be reached by boat.
Jagdeesh Temple : Located close to the City Palace,
Jagdeesh Temple has some fine sculpted images and ornamented interiors. Near
the temple complex is Sahelion-ki-Bari or the Garden of Maidens. The garden
has four pools and meticulously carved kiosks in marble.
Maharana Pratap Smarak : The Smarak has been built to pay
tribute to the great Rajput hero Maharana Pratap who fought many legendary
battles with the Mughals. There is a bronze statue of Maharana Pratap riding
his favourite horse 'Chetak' on an elevated platform. On both sides of the
path to the top are many beautifully maintained gardens including a Japanese
rock garden.
Excursion Places near Udaipur
Nagda
: The ruined remnants of ancient city of Mewar dating back to the 6th
century A.D could be seen in Nagda. The place is located at a distance of 20
kms northeast of Udaipur. Although most of the buildings of Nagda are in
ruins, a 10 th century Vaishnavite temple known as Saas-Bahu still survives.
The famous temple complex of Eklingji are also visited in large
numbers.Built way back in the year 734 A.D, the temple complex of Eklingji
has 108 small temples inside. Eklingji is an incarnation of Lord Shiva.
Nathdwara : Nathdwara is located at a distance of 48 kms
from Udaipur. Literally, Nathdwara means 'Gateway to God'. The place is an
important pilgrimage centre of Hindus. Nathdwara is home to one of the most
revered 17th century temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is predicted that
this temple is the second richest temple of India after the Tirupati temple.
The festivals of Diwali, Holi and Janmashtami are celebrated in a grand
manner in the temple. The place is also famous for the radiant Pichwal
paintings of Rajasthan.
Ranakpur :
Ranakpur, at a distance of 90 kms from Udaipur is considered one of the five
holiest places of Jainism. The Jain temples of Ranakpur are famous for their
intricate marble works. The main shrine known as Chaumukha temple (four
faced temple) is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar while the
other temples are dedicated to Parshvanath and Neminath. An attractive Hindu
temple dedicated to Sun God also adorns the landscape of the place.
Shopping in Udaipur
Udaipur is one of the best places in Rajasthan to pick up exquisite crafts
and looms made by the gifted artisans of the place. The best buys of Udaipur
include folk toys, colourful tie-dye sarees and clothes, hand painted
fabrics, silver jewellery, wall hangings and miniature paintings.
The main markets of Udaipur are located on the Lake Palace road and around
Jagdish temple. Two of the best places for shopping in Udaipur are
Rajasthali-the govt. fixed price emporium and Sadhana-a fixed price shop run
by an NGO for charitable purposes.
